Sheet feeder



SHEET FEEDER July 23, 1929.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1927 my i 3 s? UD r' i0 i; 0000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 l A t?, vH i N. x N l a x 0' 0 1 l /NVE/VO/ @Eo/eee le. swf? T H/rrR/Ef/L/ July 23, 1929. G. R. SWAm" Er AL SHEET FEEDER Filed Aug. 11, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 23 1929- G. R. swART ET AL 1,721,608

SHEET FEEDER Filed Aug. 1l. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 `lilly 23, 1929. G. R. swART ET A1. v1,721,608 v SHEET FEEDER Filed Aug. 11, 1927 4 shaw-sheet 4 noamtoz 650265 76Y Srv/wer 33M Tueur Stream Patented July 23, 1929.v l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. SWART, OE HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY,AND HARRY EHLIG, OE PEARL RIVER, NEW YORK, AssIGNoRs, BY MEsNE AssGNMENTs,

TO DEXTER FOLDER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

SHEET Application filed August 11, 1927. serial No. 212,204.

Our invention relates 'generally to improved sheet-feeders used for automatically separating and forwarding successive sheets of paper or other impression-receiving material to printing, folding or ruling machines, or to such other types of machines as are devised to operate thereafter on such sheet-s.

The objects of our invention are, among other things, mainly to provide a sheet-feeder y of this character having a simplified design and embodying therein separate mechanisms capable of performing rapid and efiicient work in separating sheets of different sizes as wellas of varying thicknesses and grades. and such mechanisms also being very sensitive in act-ion under different conditions of sheetseparation, yet they are not likely to get out of order, and may be readily shifted and` adjusted `for different runs by the operator. These devices are preferably incorporated in a feeder of the continuous type in which the sheets are separated and advanced from the front top portion of a fanned-out bank of paper on the feed-board.

vVith these aims in view we have devised a front-edge feeder having a novel and improvedrsuction feeding-off device which is usually arranged in pairs across the feeder. the operation of each device being controlled by a separate cut-out finger located between the usual feed-rolls and actuated by the sheet advanced to limit the forward movement of the suction feeding-ofi1 device while the'shutting off of the suction from such device promptly to release the advancing sheet when seized by the feed-rolls as well as the application of the suction to pick upthe/sheet is timed in regular succession in each cycle of the feeder.

A further feature is to embody in such a feeder an intermittently rotatable suction feed-wheel which will beautomatically raised and lowered in each cycle to pick up and feed ofi' the successive sheets, with novel mechanisms to control the timing and extent of the rotary movement of the wheel so that the front margin of the top sheet is seized by the wheel while at resmtJ and during its loweringT movement, and immediately thereafter such wheel is lifted and begins its sheet-forwarding rotary movement.

A further featureof our invention is to provide a novel mechanism in with the' intermittently rotatable suction feed-Wheel whereby the leading edge of the top sheetafter it is seized by the feed-wheel Will be retracted slightly or moved rearwardly before such wheel is revolved forwardly to advance such top sheet. Such rearward movement of the top sheet advantageously frees the front margin of such sheet before its forward movement to the feed-rolls.

Our improved sheet-feeder also embodies other advantageous features of novelty and improvement in which the various operating members are greatly simplified in form, arrangement and interaction, in the performance of their intended functions under varying conditions of usage with different kinds of paper stock7 all of which will be hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings show our improvements in their preferred embodiment in a continuous sheet-feeder; such improvements, however, are not to be restricted to any particularV type of sheet-feeder, as these features of invention may be incorporated in various forms of feeders with similar advantages and results.

Of the drawings, Fig. l is an end elevation of our feeder looking rearwardly and illustrating the general arrangement of the various parts a d mechanisms embodied there- 1n;

Y Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l showing the driving gears for the camshaft and mechanism for actuating the feedwheelshaft;

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l showing the suction feed-wheel and also the trip finger in lowered position;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l showing the latch for the trip finger;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the latch disengaged when the trip finger is moved outwardly by the advanced top sheet;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-,7 of Fig. l showing the mechanism lfor controlling the suction on the feed-wheel;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 6 showing the mechanism for lifting and holding the conjunction .trip finger up from the path of the top sheet;

Fig.- 9 is a detail section showing means for resetting the trip-latch; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail section of the lower rim of the feed-wheel showing its movement in diagrammatic form when slightly retracting the top sheet before rotating to advance same to the feed-rolls.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the side-frames 11 and 12 of the feeder are suitably supported on standards (not shown), and suitably secured between the side-frames 11 and 12 is the feed-board 13 yover which travel a series of feed-belts 14 to advance the fanned-out bank of sheets 15 along the feed-board 13. The

belts 14 (only one being shown in Fig. 2) pass forwardly around r`the drum 16 mounted on the cross-shaftli" journalled in suitable bearings in the side-frames 11 and 12. The shaft 17 is actuated in the usual manner so that the belts 14 are intermittently advanced to carry the bank of fanned-out sheets 15 to the sheet separating and feeding devices arranged across the front edge of the feed-board 13 as shown in Figs.l4 and 5.

In the present embodiment of our feeder', the sheet separating and forwarding devices are duplicated on either side of the machine and are adjustable laterally in the' machine to accommodate for sheets of different sizes; hence a description of one set of such devices will be sufficient, since both sets are built and operate in a similar manner. The main camshaft 18 extends across the feeder and is suitably supported in bearings in the side-frames 11 and 12 as shown in Fig. 1. This shaft 18 is driven in a counter clockwise direction (Fig. 2) to make a complete revolution in each cycle of the feeder by the gear 19 secured thereto, which gear `19 engages mounted on the stub-shaft 21 secured in the side-frame 11; the pinion 2() meshes with the gear 22 aixed tothe stub-shaft 23 on which is mounted the gear 24 engaging Ithe idler gear 25 which is driven by another idler gear 26 which engages the gear 27 affixed to the lnain power shaft 28 suitably journalled in the side-frames 11 and 12 (the various arrows in Fig. 2 showing the directions of rotation of the several gears and pinions). The power shaft 28 is driven in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) by the chain. 29 passing around the sprocket 30 affixed to the shaft 28, the chain 29 being actuated from any suitable source of power.

Extending across the feeder between the P side-frames 11 Aand 12 is the tie-shaft 31 and also the cross suction tube 32 on which are vrotatably secured lthe rockarms 33 and 34 in the forward ends of which rock-arms are' journalled theouter ends of thef-feed-wheel shaft 35 (Fig. 1). Mounted on theshaft the pinion 20 `wheel 36 revolves with 35 are the suction feed-wheels 36 (two being shown in Fig. 1), the rim 37 of each wheel having spaced-apart perforations 38 preferably arranged in staggered relation as shown in Fig.l 1; the suction shoe-39 with its nozzle 40 rides along the inner face of the rim 37 (Figs. 4, 5 and 10) and is held inv position on the end of the hollow arm 41 journalled on, and connected to, the cross suction tube 32. The nozzle 40 registers intermittently with the successive perforations 38 in the rotary feed-wheels 36 as the latter are revolved in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs 4 and 5). T he required suction to operate the feedwheels 36 is applied to the tube 32 from the passage 42 in the side-frame 12, such suction being derived from any suitable air-exhausting devices (not shown). `The forward p0rtion of the topsheet takenfrom the bank 15 adheres to the exterior surface of the rim 37 opposite the nozzle 40 (Fig. 10), and is separated and advanced to the bite of the usual lower feed-roll 43 and upper drop-roll 44 by the feed-wheels 36.

. The feed-roll 43 is affixed to the main power shaft 28 (Figs. 1 and 4), while the droproll 44 is journalled in the rock-arm 45 which is raised and lowered in the usual manner to seize and convey forwardly the advancing top sheet when its leading edge has passed over the lower guide-plates'46 mounted on `the cross-rod 47 into the bite of the feed-rolls connected with any suitable air pump not shown.

Means are provided to impart an intermittently rotative movement in one direction to the feed-wheels in each cycle of the feeder, which rotations are varied in extent and are determined and controlled by the position of the leading ledge. of theadvancing top sheet when brought into the bite of the feed-roll 43 and drop-roll 44. vIn the present embodiment the feed-wheel 36 is ailixed to the hub 5 0 sleeved on the shaft`35, the hub 5() carrying the circular ratchet 'plate 51 which coacts with the circular p1ate`52 mounted on the hub 53 secured to the shaft 35. The plate 52 carries on its face the leather disk 54 which normally bears', against the plate 51 to actuate the feed-wheel 36 (Figs-1) `The spring 55 coiled about the shaft 35 between the hub 50 and adjustable collar 56 forces. the ratchet late 51 into coacting'engagement with the plate 52 and disk 5 4 so that normally the feedtheshaft 35.

Means are provided to impart to the shaft 35 an intermittent, v rotative. movement of predetermined lengthand only in one direction in each cycle of the machine which aare arm 63 to which best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The cam( 57 affixed to the cam-shaft 18 engages the camroller 58 pinned to the slotted end 59 of the rod 60 pinned to the rock-arm 61 secured to the stub-shaft 62 mounted in the side-frame 11. Also secured to the shaft 62'is the rockis pivoted the horizontal rack-bar 64 -which engages the Vgear 65 sleeved onl the shaft 35. Pinned to the gear 65 is the rock-arm 66 carryingthe pawl 67 whichl is kept by the spring 68 in 'operative engagement with the ratchet 69 aiixed to the shaft 35 as shown in Fig. 3. The pull spring 70 secured to the rock-arm 63 (Fig. 2) keeps thefcam-roller 58 always in engagement with the cam 57. yBy this mechanism the rack-bar 64 is regularly reciprocated in each revolution of the cam 57 whereby a predetermined rotative ymovement in one direction only is imparted to the shaft 35 and feed-wheel 36 in each cycle of the machine.

Means are also provided to raise and lower the suction feed-wheel 36 during each cycle to accommodate for banks ofsheets of stock having different thicknesses and textures, combined with novel means whereby the front edge of each top sheet picked up by the feed-wheel 36may be slightly retracted over the subjacent sheets when-first seized by the feed-wheel. e In the present embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 10, the cam-shaft 18 has secured thereto the collar 7l towhich is affixed the cam 72. Pivoted to the rockarm 34 is the vertically-disposed strap 7 3 having the slot 74 formed therein enclosing the cam-shaft 18 as shown in Fig. 5. The upper end of the strap 73 carries the camroller 75 which rides on the cam 72 and 1s held in engagement therewith by the weight of the rock-arm 34 and associated devices.

Suction is applied to the feed-wheels '36 and shut oli' therefrom in regular succession in each cycle through the continued movement of the feeder bymeans of the cani 76 mounted on the end of the cam-shaft 18 outside the side-frame 12 which cam 76 engages theroller 77 (Fig. 7) pinned to the upper arm 78 of the rock-lever 79 pivoted on the stub-shaft 80 aflixed to the side-frame 12. The lower arm 81 of the rock-lever 79 carries the valves 82 which coact with the ports 83 connected with the passage 42 to make and break the suction in the well-known manner. The cams 72 and 76 are so set in timed relation with each other that when the feed-wheel 36 is being lowered in a state of rest the suction Will then be applied to pick up the front margin of the top sheet (Figs. 2 and 10); then when the feed-wheel 36 is further loweredA such wheel will swing rearwardly in its orbit inthe direction of the arrow (Fig. 10) and so slightly retract the frontmargin to freevthe front edge of this loosened top sheet `from the subjacent sheets. Thereafter the Ycollar 94 (Figs. 5 and 6),

r5` showing the pawl 105 out of feed-wheel 36 is raised and rotated forwardly to separate the top sheet and advance same to the cut-out finger or trip in the bitev or thev rolls 43 and 44,; after which the ports 83 are opened to atmosphere to cause the feed-wheels ger or trip 87, the lower forward end depending in the slot 88 formed in the lower guideplate 46 and movable in the slot 88 forwardly from and beyond bracket 84 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 6, Threaded through the lug 91 formed from the collar 86 is the adjustingy cap-screw 92 with its cap 93 bearing on the under side of the trip-finger 87 whereby the position of the trip-finger 87 relatively to the feed-rolls 43 and 44 may be shifted either to y advance or retard the timing of the interrupforward rotative tion or `stopping of the movement of the feed-Wheels 36. Also adjustably secured to the cross-pin is the carrying the latcharm 95 with its beveled faced hook 96 to coact with the beveled latch lug 97 projecting laterally from the arm 98 of the bell-crank lever 99 mounted on 'the stub-shaft 100 secured in the bracket 84. The upper arm 101 of the lever 99 carries the cam-roller 102 which rides on the cam- 103 secured to the cam-shaft 18. The coil-spring 1'04 between the bracket 84 and the arm 98 normally keeps the latch members 96 and 97 in engagement (Fig. 5)A with the trip-finger 87 lowered in operative position in the slot 88. Secured to the arm 98 is the catehpawl arranged to move into and out of engagement Withthe ratchet plate 51 which drives the feed-Wheel 36, Figs. 4 and engagement with the plate 51 while Fig. 6 shows these parts in locked position after the trip-finger 87 has been moved by the advanced sheet.

Referring to Fig. 6, when the finger 87 is moved from its full line position as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the latch hook 96 is dislodged from its" engagement with the latch lug 97, and the arm 98 under the tension of the spring 104 is pulled to the left thereby bringing the pawl 105 into locking engagement with the teeth of the ratchet plate 51 which. instantly stops the rotative movement of thefeed-wheels 36. The latch lug 97 will be reset over the hook 96 when the high part of the cam 103 engaging the roller dotted line position to the by the advanced top sheet 102 at the end of the cycle forces the bellcrank lever 99 to the rightfall as shown in Fig. 4 9, since the canr103 makes a complete revolution in each cycle ofthe feed-wheel 36 as here tofore explained. t

'Ve have also provided'novel devices to lift and then hold the trip-finger 87 in its raised position off the body4 of the sheet after the latter is seized and is being forwarded by' the feed-rolls 43 and 44: Referring to Figs 4, 5, 6 and V8 the bracket 84 carries the stubshaft 106 on which is pivoted the rock-lever 107 the upper arm 108 carrying the cam-roller 109 which engages the cam 110 aiiixed to the cam-.shaft 18. The lower arm 111 has the adjustable screw-bolt 112threaded through its lower end the tip 113 of the bolt 112 normally being out. of engagement with the tripfinger 87 (Fig. 4). while the cam-roller 109 is riding on the high part\of the cam 110. The cam 110 is so .timed with the cam 103 and the outward movement of the trip-finger 87 (Fig. 6), that as soonas the front portion of the top sheet is seized in the bite of the feed-rolls 43 and 44 (Fig.` 8), the roller 109 'rides down'into the dwell'of the cam V110 v by the action of the pull spring 114 pinned i been actuated bythe cam stantially as 36 are being yso .32 as a center as s'hownrin between the bracket 84 and the arm 108 which causes the arm 111 to swing upwardly (Fig.

8) to raise the trip-finger 87 from its dotted' to its full line-.position-and against the ten. sion of the light'sping 115 pinned between the arm 111 and the bracket 84. The force of the pull spring- 114 is of suiicient strength o to overcome the spring 115 and always cause the cam-roller 109 to' follow the cam 110. By this device the tripf .finger 87 is positively held in its lifted position'until 4the tail end of the top sheet has passed through the feed-rolls 43 and 44, and the resetting mechanisms have 103 to bring-the parts into the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the spring 116 pinned between the bracket 84 and the arm 117 'projecting from the lug 91 aiding in restoring the trip-linger to its full line position .shown in Fig. 4. Y The operation of our sheet-feeder is subfollows :'When vthe feed-wheels lowered ina state of rest during 4the idle stroke of the rack-bar 64, the suction is applied to the nozzle 40 andL the top sheet is picked up as shown in Fig.,4: then as the feed-wheels 36 are further lowered they are swung rearwardly about the suction tube Fig. 10 whereby the front edge of the picked-up top sheet is slightly retracted to free its front edge from the Subj acent sheets which separation is aided by the air blastfrom the nozzle 48. Then the wheels 36 are raised and begin\their rotative movements by' the mechanism hereinbefore described and shown particularly in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and l8. vAs soon as the leading edge of the top sheet has been advanced by .trol the extentof rolls. As the tail end of the sheet is passing the revolving feed-wheels 36 vso thatl such sheet lifts the trip-finger 87 as shown in Fig. 6 with the sheet in position to be seized by the feed-rolls 43 and 44, the latch hook 96 is drawn away from the latch lug 97 which disengagement immediately snaps the bellcrank lever 99 in a clockwise direction by the pull of the spring 104 thereby throwing the pawl 105 into engagement with the ratchet plate 51 to interupt or stop the rotative movements of the feed-wheels 36. By this mechanisln the separate trip lingers 87 actuated by the leading edge of the top sheet directly conthe rotative movements of the'feed-wheels. As soon as the latch members 96 and 97 are disengaged, the mechanism for lifting the trip-finger 87 comes into operation as shown in Fig. 8 with the cam-roller 109 riding olf the whereby the arm 11,1l is'raised so that the bolt 112 will lift and h`old the trip-linger off the body ofthe sheet seized by the feed-rolls (Fig. 8). Meanwhile the cam 76 has acted to open the ports suction from the feed-wheels 36 and releasing the sheet now under-the control of the feedthrough the feed-rolls 43l and 44, the-roller 102 will ride up on the high part ofthe cam 103 (Fig. 9) which will swing the arm 98 to the right thereby disengaging the pawl 105 from the ratchet plate'51 and also simultaneously resetting theplatch lug 97 in locking engagement/with the latch hook 96 with the trip-finger restored toits the feed-wheels 36 free to begin` their rotations'in conjunction with the shaft 35 in the succeeding cycle of operations.

y They Aforegoing constructions embody the essential features andprinciples of our invention as embodied preferably in a continuous sheet-feeder which will have a wide range of iexibility through the sheet control of the extent fof thevforward movements of ther Fig. 4 position and.

high part of the cam 110 '83 thereby shutting oi the ing and lowering of 4 such feed-wheels in each cycle, the iinal loweringvmovement of the wheels slightly retractingtge front edge of the top sheet wheels whereby suchsheet is advantageously ,freed from the other sheets in the bank before its forward movement. In short; the sheet-actuated trip-fingers directly cause the stoppingr of the forward feed of the suction wheels determined by the position of the sheet asit Vis about to by the feed rolls.

Various changes may be made in the strucbe seized and forwarded` already seized by the feedl tural details of our feeder without depart- *Y ing from .the'scope Aof our improvements or sacrificing. ltsfchief `advanta es. However, the foregolng 1s suiclent to lsclose the underlying principles andfeatures of the mvention as particularly applied to a continuous sheet feeder.

We claim as our invention: n

#1. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member rotatable in one direct-ion for separating and advancing sheets forwardly from a pile and sheetecontroll'ed means for varying the extent of the rotary movement of lsaid member. 't 2. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member intermittently ,rotatable only in one direction for separating and advancing the successiveJ sheets and sheet-controlled means to vary the extent of theirotary movement of said member in each cycle. l

3. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member for advancing successive sheets, means to rotate said member in one direction only, and sheet-controlled means to variably stop the rotary movement of said member.

4. In asheet-feeder, a suction feed-member for advancing successive sheets, means for imparting an intermittent rotary movement to said member in one direction only in each cycle, and sheet-controlled means to variably stop said intermittent rotary movement of said member.

5. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member rotatable in one direction for separating andj adva ncing the successive sheets and `sheet-controlled means v.for interrupting the rotarymovement of said member in any part of the cycle. i

6. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member intermittently rotatable in one direction only b for separating and advancing the successive sheets and means controlled by the advanced sheet for interrupting said intermittentrotary movement of said member in any part of the cycle.

7; In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member intermittently rotatable only in one direction for separating and advancing the successive sheets and means controlled by the advanced sheetfor interruptingy the rot-ary movement offy said member in any part ofthe cycle.

8. In a sheet-feeder, a suction rotatable in one direction for advancing sheets forwardly `from a pile, means for lowering and raising said member to and from said pile, and sheet-controlled means for varying the extent of the rotary movement of said member. y 9. In a sheet-feeder,a suction feed-member intermittently rotatablefor advancing successive sheets from a pile, means to lower said member to said pile whil'e at rest to pick up a sheet, means for-raising said member and rot-ating same to advance the sheet, and means controlledby the advanced sheet to interrupt the sheet-forwarding Vrotary movement of said member in any part yofthe cycle. 10. In aNshe'et-feeder,- a suction :feed-member 'intermittentlyrotatable only in one div-recton for advancing successive sheetsv feed-member separating and from a pile, means to lower said member to said pile while at rest to pick up a. sheet,

means for raising said member and rotating same, and ,means controlled by the advanced sheet to interrupt the rotary movement of said member inany part of the cycle.

11. In a sheet-feeder, a rotatable suction f out bank, means for lowering and raisingy said member to and from4 said-bank while at rest to pick up a sheet, means for imparting a predetermined rotary movement to said member in one direction only in each cycle when raised from the bank, and sheet-controlled means to variably stop the rotary movement of said member.

13. In a sheet-feeder, a suction feed-member intermittently rotatable in one direction only to advance the sheets, means controlled by the advanced sheet to vary the extent of the said intermittent said member, and means to vary of said last-mentioned means.

14. In a lsheet-feeder, a suction feed-memer intermittently rotatable in one direction only to advance ing suction to said member in timed relation with its rotary movements, a cut-out linger actuated said intermittent rotary and means to adjust the position of nvsaid finger to vary the timing of said'interruption of said feed-members rotation.

15. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-member to advance the sheets and means for lowering and swinging said member rearwardly to retract each sheet before advancing same.

16. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-member intermittently rotatable for lowering and 115 swinging thesheets and means to actuate said member rearwardly while at rest to re tract each sheet before rotating same to advance the sheet. 17. In a sheet-feeder, a feed-member intermittently rotatable to advance the sheets and, means forlowering `said member while at rest to pick up the sheet, said member when lowered and swung rearwardly also retracting said sheet before saidmember advances same. i 18. In a sheet-feeder,

a suction feed-member intermittently rotatable in one direction to advance the sheets and means to swing said member rearwardly to retract the sheet picked up by said member while at rest bethe sheets, means for applyby,the advanced sheet to intrrupt fore said member is rotated to advance the sheet.

19. In a sheet-feeder,

ber intermittently rotatable in 5 to advance the sheets,

member rearwardly to narily moving said a suction feed-memone dn'ect1on means for prelimiretract the sheet picked up by said member While at rest, and means controlled by the advanced sheet for varying the extent of the sheet-advancingr movement of said member 10 in any part of the cycle.

GEORGE R. .SWART. HARRY EHLIG. 

